PLE candidates in Namutumba school to use desks for first time

Primary Seven candidates of Nsongwe Primary School, Bugobi Town Council in Namutumba District are relishing sitting on desks for the first time as they write this year’s Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE), which start next week.

Mr Patrick Walyonga, the head teacher, says the school with a population of more than 600 pupils only has 17 desks, and subsequently, pupils only get to sit on them in Primary Seven.

“Primary Seven candidates are only given preference to sit on the desks in the third term as they write their PLE exams. But for the first and second term, they, too, sit on the floor like the rest,” Mr Walyonga said in an interview at the weekend.

Mr Walyonga explained that the few desks are preserved for the final days of doing the national exams because they are not enough.

Asked where the school gets the desks for the candidate class, Mr Walyonga said they register private candidates from nearby private schools to use their centre, which indirectly necessitates them to come with their desks and leave with them after the national exam.

Mr Isa Mwisi, a senior male teacher, said for the past three weeks, the candidates have been practicing how to sit and write while seated on desks.

“This is their third week of practicing how to sit on desks as we emphasise their proper handling because we do not want them (desks) to break before they are used on November 7 and 8,” he said.

“We are hopeful that starting on Monday (today), many of them will be able to write well on the desk,” Mr Mwisi further explained.

He added that since they have few desks, they have divided the 67 candidates into five groups of 13 pupils, with each group given three desks on which to sit as they perfect how to use them.

According to Mr Mwisi, all seems to be going according to plan. However, some pupils are reportedly complaining of “back pain”, while others are not writing well because they were used to writing while seated on the floor.

What pupils say

Susan Nairumba, one of the candidates, says life in the classroom has been “difficult” and keeping order in class while seated on the floor “is not easy”. She says her teachers always encouraged them to study hard and reach Primary Seven so as to have a chance of sitting on desks.

Waiswa Mulondo, also a candidate, said sitting on desks is another “challenge” he is enduring.

“I am happy because I am learning how to sit and write on desks, which is more comfortable than sitting on the floor,” he said, allaying any fears that the short-lived experience will affect his performance.

Mr Kassim Mutegule, the Parents Teachers Association (PTA) chairperson, says the environment at Nsongwe Primary School is “challenging”, and that the school only has two office chairs which are shared by 10 teachers.

“The school also lacks enough classrooms. Primary Seven candidates study in a store, while Primary Four pupils study from the Church,” Mr Mutegule said.

He added that the school only has two classroom blocks, with one having been built by the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), while the other was built by the district.

Mr Yakubu Mugemule, the councillor representing Bugobi Town Council, says it is “unfortunate” that the school that the district Woman Member of Parliament (MP), Ms Mariam Naigaga, among others, studied from, has no desks.

“We have been promised more desks for the past 15 years, and have not received a single desk to-date,” he said.

Mr David Mukisa, the district chairperson, says they are aware of the sorry state and lack of desks at Nsongwe Primary School and are doing “their best” to see that more desks are supplied to the school.

“Nsongwe Primary School has many challenges and one of them was lack of pit latrines, but that was solved. We promised the school more desks because we have started on the procurement process,” Mr Mukisa said.